MARBLE, CO, USA
N9643G
CESSNA 182P
THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WAS PROVIDING A MOUNTAIN (MTN) FLYING CHECK-OUT TO A PVT PLT. WITNESSES RPRTD THAT BEFORE THE ACFT CRASHED, IT WAS FLYING 'VERY LOW' UP THE MIDDLE OF A VALLEY TOWARD A 12,700' MTN PASS. IT THEN ENTERED A TURN & DISAPPEARED FROM THEIR VIEW BEFORE CRASHING. IMPACT OCCURRED AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 11,200'. THE PVT PLT WAS FATALLY INJURED; THE CFI & PASSENGER RCVD SERIOUS INJURIES. THE CFI (A 95 LB WOMAN) STATED THAT THE PVT PLT WAS BIGGER THAN HER & THAT HE KEPT OVERPOWERING HER. SHE SAID HE DID NOT FIGHT HER FOR THE CTLS, BUT WOULD NOT FOLLOW HER ADVICE TO KEEP THE NOSE DOWN TO MAINTAIN A SAFE SPEED, & THAT HE WOULD NOT FLY ON THE WINDWARD SIDE OF VALLEYS. AFTER SHE DIVERTED HER ATTENTION TO LOOK AT A MAP, SHE LOOKED UP & NOTED THEY WERE IN A VALLEY WITH RISING TERRAIN ON ALL SIDES. THE PVT PLT RELINQUISHED THE CTLS & THE CFI ATMTD TO REVERSE DIRECTION, BUT THE ACFT IMPACTED THE SIDE OF THE VALLEY.
FAILURE OF THE PRIVATE PILOT (STUDENT PILOT) TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED ABOVE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) AND HER DELAY IN TAKING REMEDIAL ACTION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND DIVERSION OF THE CFI'S ATTENTION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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